The Wildrose party's leader and eight of its elected MLAs crossed the floor in the legislature last week to join Innisfail-Sylvan Lake MLA Kerry Towle as members of the Progressive Conservative party.
Nine Wildrose MLAs renounced membership in their party, leaving five MLAs in the official Opposition. Fifteen MLAs out of 87 now stand to oppose the ruling Tories.
The Wildrose party members who crossed the floor last week include Danielle Smith, Rod Fox, Olds-Didsbury-Three Hills MLA Bruce Rowe, Rob Anderson, Gary Bikman, Jeff Wilson, Blake Pedersen, Bruce McAllister and Jason Hale. Towle and Ian Donovan crossed the floor to join the government benches on Nov. 24
“There are a lot of upset people that I have talked to over the last couple of days,” said Dennis Cooper, the president of the Innisfail-Sylvan Lake Progressive Conservative constituency association. “They voted for the Wildrose party and now they have a PC member. Every constituency with the MLAs will have to deal with that issue in the next election. Some will get re-elected, some won't.”
The riding president noted the difference between Towle crossing the legislature and last week's en masse defection.
“Kerry carefully considered her position and moved only after she consulted her constituents,” said Cooper. “This one feels a little different. I had heard rumblings about this a couple of days back that seven were considering crossing the floor, and then we heard about two more.”
He said the official Opposition may also change with both the Liberals and Wildrose party tied at five seats.
“Any more change in Wildrose numbers will turn the Liberals into the official Opposition in the legislature and that will be interesting,” said Cooper.
Cooper added the premier and government have to put the recent legislature happenings behind them and rise to the challenge ahead.
“With the price of oil dropping to the mid-50s on the world market, the province will have a difficult time fiscally,” said Cooper. “This is not a time to fight internally, but to move forward and serve Albertans.”
See related story on p. 2 of the Mountain View Gazette.
Dennis Cooper
"Any more change in Wildrose numbers will turn the Liberals into the official Opposition in the legislature and that will be interesting."
